Description

3D Universe

Design

Throughout its early appearances, the the Sentinel assumes several designs, all based on various BMW models:

In GTA III and GTA Liberty City Stories, it resembles a 1996–2003 BMW 5 Series sedan (most likely a 528i, based on the power and size).

In GTA Vice City in GTA Vice City Stories, it is based on a 1977–1986 BMW 7 Series sedan. The GTA Vice City Stories version was modified further to feature more forward-tilted headlights and grill, and smaller rear light clusters, akin to a 1976–1989 BMW 6 Series; these changes distinguish the car further from GTA Vice City Stories's rendition of its high performance counterpart, the Sentinel XS, which had not received the same degree of changes.

In GTA San Andreas, the Sentinel is based heavily on the the GTA Vice City rendition, but was modernized and appears more similar to a 1986–1994 BMW 7 Series.

The GTA Advance rendition does not appear to have a clear source of inspiration for its design, but retains its slender 4-door sedan. While the car is n ot generally associated with any gang, the GTA Advance rendition is an exception, serving a gang car for an unspecified mafia in the game, taking over the role of the Mafia Sentinel, the mafia variant of the Sentinel.

Performance

With a V6 engine in all its appearances between GTA III and GTA Vice City Stories, the Sentinel has a good top speed and acceleration. The car handles well, although it suffers from body roll in GTA Liberty City Stories. It comes with good drifting properties, although its rear-drive layout sometimes leads to oversteer and tailspins; these problems are more apparent in the GTA San Andreas rendition, due to its different weight distribution and softer suspension. In GTA San Andreas, the Sentinel's top speed of 163km/h makes it the second fastest four-door car in the game.

HD Universe

Design

Also visible are minuscule STD badges in front of the doors, near the sideskirts and front wheel wells. STD stands for "Sentinel Tuning Division", likely a play on Subaru's STi marque (odd because this vehicle, or the Sentinel "XS", does not at all resemble a Subaru) and BMW's in-house tuning division, BMW M, but also a reference to the acronym for "sexually transmitted disease".

The Sentinel (still manufactured by Übermacht) is redesigned for Grand Theft Auto V to resemble a 2005 BMW 3-Series E93 and have convertible and hardtop variants. While the car was first featured in the first trailer for the game, the car's name was not revealed until its rear "SENTINEL" badge was featured in the second trailer.

Performance

Being a modern sports coupe, the GTA IV Sentinel reaches a decent top speed of 96 mph (155 km/h). It has above-average acceleration, reaching 60mph in 6.5 seconds, and reaching its top speed fairly quickly as well. The Sentinel's suspension is rather soft, and it tends to roll when going around tight bends at high speed; the rear of the car also tends to bounce about when traveling on uneven roads. Its handling is above average, but at high speeds it loses a lot of grip and easily spins out of control due to the lack of weight in the rear. But if controlled right, its speed and grip can be combined to produce almost-professional like drifts that can be used to slide into sharp turns and back alleyways to evade the police without difficulty. Nonetheless, it is arguably the best choice in the Modern category in multiplayer racing.

Crash deformation at higher speeds is high (quarter panels of the car may look to be "glitched" into the wheel wells if hit hard enough), and it isn't hard with this car to make the wheels jam in crashes, but the car can withstand a surprising amount of frontal impacts without failing.

Customization in GTA San Andreas

The Sentinel in GTA San Andreas can be modified at a TransFender, which offers a fairly modest range of customizations for the car:

Its visual differences include its "XS" badging, a hood-mounted air scoop and air vents, enlarged twin mufflers, and a rear spoiler sporting "STD" decals, emulating the BMW M3 CSL. The Sentinel handles with more rigidly as its suspension has been hardened, allowing the car to corner sharper and drift more easily compared to a regular Sentinel.

Prominent appearances in missions

GTA III

In the mission "Bait", Catalina has sent three Colombian Cartel death squads to kill Claude. The death squads consist of three Sentinels with four men each; the Sentinel was picked as these are the fastest and best-handling four-door vehicle (excluding emergency vehicles). Claude is directed to lead the Colombians into a Yakuza ambush organized by Asuka.

GTA Vice City

In GTA Vice City, a unique black Sentinel is the target's getaway vehicle in the mission "Hit The Courier". The player can obtain the car by diligently killing the driver of the car as soon as she enters it, but must not exit the car and close its door until they enter a garage or complete the mission, as the car will lock itself again.

GTA San Andreas

In GTA San Andreas, Sentinels are used by the Seville Boulevard Families during the mission Sweet's Girl. Sentinels are also used as cover in the mission The Green Sabre, when the GSF members, CJ and Sweet must resist the onslaught of the Ballas under the Mulholland Intersection. It is also driven in the mission "Mountain Cloud Boys", to aid Wu Zi Mu in a series of drive-by shootings against enemy gang members. Kent Paul is seen driving a dark blue Sentinel to the airport in the GTA San Andreas mission Saint Mark's Bistro; a unique grey Sentinel can also be seen in the court yard of Marco's Bistro during this mission.

GTA Liberty City Stories

The Sentinel is prominently featured multiple times in GTA Liberty City Stories, all of which are depicted with a dark gray/black body color:

Four black Sentinels are prominently driven by hitmen hired by Ma Cipriani in "No Son of Mine"; as soon as the hitmen exit one such Sentinel, the player can easily attain the car. The cars are programmed to be heavy, which allows the player to push aside other cars without affecting the Sentinel's performance or trajectory. After the mission, more hitmen in black Sentinels will attempt to confront the player in random intervals until the completion of "Making Toni".

The same form of Sentinels mention above can also be found during "A Walk in the Park", when Roger C. Hole and his body guards arrive at Belleville Park in three such cars parked in a row. Once the player manages to kill R.C. Hole and the body guards before they reach their cars, the player can take any of the cars to their garage; otherwise, if R.C. Hole manages to flee to the second car, the car's weight is reset to normal while the first and third cars retain their heavy weight. The Sentinels also received increased health for the mission.

The last appearance of the black Sentinel is during "Making Toni", when it serves as the player's mode of transport for the mission and is fireproof. The car can be obtained by partially submerging the car in a shallow shoreline, failing the mission; otherwise, the car is driven away by Mickey Hamfists in the end of the mission.

GTA IV

In GTA IV, a Sentinel is requested as part of Stevie's Car Thefts, appearing with a uniquely candy blue and black body color, similar to that of the "XS" Sentinel. As a new Sentinel will respawn at the same spot until the player delivers one to S&M Auto Sales, the player can save one at their safehouse before delivering another.